


new scientific territory

by thisprentiss



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Headaches & Migraines, Hurt/Comfort, Mind Gem (Marvel), Pre-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Premonitions, the stone to vision: knock knokc bitch, vision: oh shit!!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-24
Updated: 2018-05-24
Packaged: 2019-05-13 04:44:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14742222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thisprentiss/pseuds/thisprentiss
Summary: vision gets a sudden, intense migraine on the way back to the compound. tony helps his robot son out





	new scientific territory

**Author's Note:**

> so im always a SLUT for hurt/comfort and i wanted to do something about the stone trying to warn vision about thanos and it just gives him a headache and vague Bad Feelings.  
> anyway dont roast me,, im just a humble gay writing Bad Fic on the internet

They were twenty minutes into their flight back to the compound when Rhodey noticed Vision shudder and dip down in the air a few times before returning to normal flight. Tony didn't seem to realize anything had happened, but granted - he was flying a few feet ahead of them, so he couldn't exactly see.

Rhodey glanced over again, this time paying more attention, and could see the android was tense, jaw clenched and eyes squinting like it was too bright out. That made Rhodey just a little nervous. And Vision bringing a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose like he was tired sent a spike of anxiety through Rhodey's chest.

The last time Vision was unfocused, Rhodey got shot out of the sky and paralyzed from the waist down.

"Tones, how long 'til we get back?" he asked into the comm, trying to keep the nerves out of his voice. The other line crinkled and Tony's electronic laugh came through.

" _Why, you boys getting tired back there?_ " Tony looked back at them over his shoulder, and even though the mask covered his face, Rhodey could tell he was wearing that shit eating grin of his, " _I'm just fucking with you, babe. FRIDAY, give us an estimation?_ "

" _You should arrive at the compound in approximately one hour and twenty two minutes, sir._ "

" _Thanks, FRIDAY!_ " Tony said, " _She said we'll be back in-_ "

" _He heard what she said._ "

Rhodey and Tony both looked over at Vision in shock, unused to hearing him snap like that. Rhodey could see his flight was faltering again, and there was something like _pain_ written all over his face.

" _That's no way to talk to your father, robo-son,_ " there was humor in Tony's voice, but a brief look at Vision told Rhodey he was _not_ amused, " _What's up, you on your robot period or something?_ "

" _I apologize, Mr. Stark, I-_ " Vision's voice cut out from the speakers for a moment, just as he dipped in the air again, and Rhodey could see that he'd put a hand over his mouth. " _You two return to the compound, I'm going to make a brief stop here._ "

" _Here? We're in the middle of nowhere, just suck it up and wait the hour and a h-_ " Tony didn't even get to finish what he was saying before Vision dropped out of their flight positions and flew straight for the ground. " _What the fuck!?_ " Tony halted in his tracks and started hovering, staring at the ground in shock, " _What is happening right now, I'm so confused. Vision, you still online, buddy? FRIDAY, is he still hearing us?_ "

" _Negative, sir. The Vision appears to have cut out transmissions from reaching him. They will, however, be recorded into his memory databank._ "

Tony scoffed. " _Great, so we got his voicemail. Rhodey, babe, you go back to HQ, kay? I'm gonna go see what's up with him._ "

"You sure?" Rhodey asked, "I can come with, if you want."

" _Nah, this is more of a father-son thing, I think._ " When Rhodey sighed, Tony chuckled, " _Okay, so you don't have a problem with Dr. Cho calling him her son, but you have a problem with me?_ "

"Yeah, well, she built him, so..."

" _Oh shut up. Get out of here, tell Pepper I'm gonna be a little late for movie night. Also that I love her. And you!_ "

Rhodey shifted his gears into forward and started back on his previous route. "I'll see you later. Anything happens, just call me. We don't want another Ultron."

" _N_ _ot gonna say 'I love you'? I'm wounded, Colonel Rhodes._ "

"Fuck you. I'll see you at home."

" _So no head?_ "

"Tony I'm  _begging_ you to stop talking."

 

* * *

 

Once he was on the ground, it wasn't hard for Tony to figure out where Vision went. There wasn't much of anything in the area except trees and the occasional rest stop, plus a bar and a motel that were right across the street from each other.

He checked the nearest rest stop first, then asked at the front desk of the motel if they'd seen any magenta androids come through. Then he walked across the street to the bar. It was mostly empty - which made sense, considering it was ten in the morning - and as soon as she saw Tony's armor, the bartender asked if he was looking for 'the cape guy.'

"Yeah, he's a friend of mine," Tony said, retracting the armor and putting his sunglasses on top of his head. The woman pointed over her shoulder, popping a bubble of bubble gum.

"Bathroom," she said, then went straight back to cleaning martini glasses. Tony was almost offended that she didn't ask for his autograph.

"Thanks."

Tony headed for the bathroom, ready to give Vision a real pissed off talk about leaving without explanation, but froze when he opened the door.

Vision was collapsed pathetically against the toilet with his head braced on his arms over the bowl. His cape was crumpled up around him, and with the room smelling like vodka from the bar, the sight really brought Tony back to college.

He was snapped out of his shocked state when Vision's shoulders spasmed and he leaned further into the bowl, coughing and gasping, but not actually seeming to be vomiting. Tony's surprise turned into confusion, which turned into concern. He squatted down next to the toilet and tilted his head.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked quietly. Vision raised his head just slightly, but didn't open his eyes. Tony cleared his throat. "Sorry I was on your ass up there, you should'a just said you weren't feeling well and we could've stopped."

"I don't know what's happening," Vision groaned. Tony went from a squat to a kneel, leaning his elbow on the back of the toilet.

"You get sick while we were in the air?"

Vision sat back and fell against the wall behind him, rubbing his eyes almost violently. "I was experiencing what I believe to be vertigo from approximately half way through the fight through the beginning of our trip back to the compound. I only started feeling nauseous when you and Colonel Rhodes began conversing over the interc-" Vision gagged on his own words and Tony sat back as he leaned over the toilet again to cough up nothing. When he seemed to be done, Tony squeezed his shoulder.

"Maybe don't use so many big words, bud."

"I apologize."

Tony couldn't stop himself from smiling fondly. "It's okay. So you're just... dizzy and pukey, that's it?" when Vision didn't respond, Tony let out a half-sigh, "Y'know, this is scientific territory I've never even _thought_ about getting into with you. I don't know if you _can_ get sick, and if you can, how sick can you get-"

"It's my head."

"Your head? Like... you've got a headache?" Tony was taking mental notes at the speed of light. _Bruce would've loved to try and figure this one out with me_. "Think something might be wrong with your internal wiring? You got knocked around pretty bad back there, maybe something came loose."

"I- I'm not sure, but it- _fuck-_ " it caught Tony off guard; he'd never heard Vision swear before, "It hurts. Badly."

Tony tried to think up what might be going wrong in Vision's head that would give him a headache so bad it made him sick. "Can I take a peek at your eyes? Make sure nothing's going haywire?"

"Of course," Vision said, lifting his head toward Tony. As soon as he opened his eyes, though, he clenched them shut again and buried his face in his hands with a pained yelp. Tony reached out and held onto Vision's shoulder, brow furrowing.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong, what's going on?" he asked.

"I- I'm sorry. I can't. Not right now." Before Tony could respond, Vision shuddered and dropped onto his side, pulling his cape over his head and making a noise half way between a groan and a sob. "It _hurts._ "

"Okay, hey, we're not gonna lay on the bathroom floor right now. Let's get you up," Tony started, crawling forward so he could put a hand under Vision's head and help him sit up. Vaguely, Tony remembered how Pepper used to take care of _him_ when she would find him hungover in the bathroom. "There's a motel across the street, think you can make it there?" when he didn't get an answer, Tony couldn't help but sigh, "C'mon, man, I'll help you walk. It's just a short walk. And I'll call Pepper, alright? She can pick us up so you don't have to fly."

Reluctantly, Vision nodded and allowed Tony to help him to his feet, groaning when he was finally upright. Tony wrapped an arm around his waist and fumbled his sunglasses onto Vison's face. "Alright, c'mon, you can lean on me as much as you want."

The walk across the street and into the motel was a much bigger struggle than Tony had been expecting, and he was glad Vision didn't weigh very much after the three times he had to stop him from falling over. There were several open rooms according to the woman at the front desk, and he took the one closest to the entrance.

"Found your robot friend, I guess?" she asked. Tony gave her a tight-lipped smile and nodded, "The bar?"

"Yeah. It's been a rough week," Tony said with a half-chuckle. The woman handed over the room key and smiled as he walked away. "Thanks, have a good one."

"You too, Mr. Stark. Feel better, sweetie!” 

Once they were inside, Tony shut the door and kept the lights off. "You need the toilet, or you wanna go lay down?" he asked softly.

"Lay down," Vision murmured, and stumbled forward with Tony until they got to the bed, where he promptly collapsed and curled into a ball under his cape.

Tony closed the curtains as far as they would go and filled up two glasses of water - one that he drank right there in the bathroom and the other he put on the nightstand. He knelt next to the bed and rested his hand on Vision's back, stroking circles with his thumb. "Got you water if you need it," he said, "I know you don't usually drink anything, but just in case."

"Thank you," Vision said, then shifted to look in Tony's direction, "I apologize for my behavior. It's... unprofessional."

"Whoa, dude, no need to apologize," Tony said as he crossed around the end of the bed to sit on the other side, "You've got a migraine, or something. That shit sucks. I should know, I get those bad boys all the time."

Vision hummed absently and pulled his cape tighter around him. There was a stretch of silence where Tony thought he might've fallen asleep, before Vision groaned and rolled away from Tony.

"You alright, bud?"

" _No-_ " he choked on a dry heave that he directed over the side of the bed like he expected to actually vomit. Tony ran his hand up and down Vision's back comfortingly, chewing at his lower lip. Vision coughed pathetically and mumbled, "I'm sorry."

"Hey, I already told you it was alright. And I know you're _feeling_ sick, but I mean- you don't eat anything, so I don't think anything's gonna come up."

Vision sighed, shifting back onto the bed. "I suppose you're right. Perhaps this is simply a trick of the stone."

"Well it's a pretty convincing trick. You look like shit," Tony chuckled. Vision squeezed his eyes shut and pushed his palms into his temples, drawing his knees back up toward his chest. "Can I do anything to help?"

"It just _hurts_ ," Vision sounded like he was on the verge of tears; that was a new one too. Tony had never seen him cry before. _What a day of scientific discovery._

"I know, Vision, I know," Tony murmured, running his hand up and down Vision's back. "Just try and... sleep. Or... I don't know what you do, but- you know what I mean. I know you want to cry, but that's not gonna help, it's just gonna make it hurt worse." _I_ _f this is anything like a human migraine, that is._

Vision nodded and buried his head further in his arms, the stone's glow illuminating his sleeves.

 

* * *

 

An hour later, Vision had either fallen asleep or put himself into a robot-trance or whatever, and Tony got a text from Happy that he'd finally found the motel and was sitting outside in the car.

Tony reached out and tentatively touched Vision's shoulder, shaking him once when he didn't respond. "Hey, Vision? Happy's here, do you think you can get out to the car?" When he got no response yet again, Tony shook him a little harder. "Vision? C'mon, bud, we'll get you back to the lab and run some tests to see what's wrong."

When the third shake got no response, Tony felt worry begin to edge it's way into his mind. "Vision, I need you to work with me, you don't breathe, so I don't know if you're dead or not." Tony slapped his face a couple times. "Vision? Vision, c'mon."

The mind gem suddenly lit up like the sun, making Tony jump back in shock with black spots dancing across his eyes. Vision sat up and looked at Tony, eyes wide with fear. When he saw that Tony was blinking in confusion, Vision immediately gasped. "Tony, are you alright? Did I hurt you?"

Shaking off the shock, Tony nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Are _you_ okay? You weren't waking up for a minute."

"I- yes. I'm alright," Vision stared at the wall across from him blankly, looking like he was trying to remember something. Tony touched his knee.

"You sure you're alright? You look a little-" Tony waved his hand around, "Spacey."

Vision looked at him and swallowed thickly. "The... the stone. It was telling me something. That's what the pain was, it was the stone trying to communicate with me."

"It was- _what?_ Wait, like the one in your head?" Tony asked, narrowing his eyes, "How does that work?"

"I'm not sure. But- but it was talking to me. It was _warning_ me."

"What did it say?"

Vision shook his head. "That's the problem. Tony, I..." he looked back at Tony, "I _don't know._ "


End file.
